scroggins



, Dec. s, 1925 1,564,901

I R. H. scnosems SNOW REMOVING AND DESTROYING APPARATUS Filed April 3-,1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 3 vwemtoz R. H. SCROGGINS SNOW REMOVING ANDDESTROYING APPARATUS Dec. 8, 1925 Filed April 5, 1925 5 SheetsSheet 2 R.H. SCROGGINS snow RBIOVING.AND DESTROYING APPARATUS Dec. 8 1925' FiledApril 5, 1925 s sheets-sheet 4 g vwentoz 6mm, 1 V

7 Dec. 1925- R. H. scRoGems gflow iumovme AND DESTROYING APPARATUS FiiedApril 5, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 m a M .v

mama a, 1925;"

* UNITED s rA'rss V nonsnr n. scnoeems, or urns. nann rmmmvanu.

SNOW MOVING AND DESTROYING APPARATUS.

" Application fled April a, 1925. serial m. 20,411. 7

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, Rosana- H. Senouems, a citizen of the United States,residing at Oakmont, Upper Darby in the county of Delaware an State ofPennsylvania, ave invented certain new anduseful Improvements in SnowRemoving and Destroying Apparatus, of which the following \IS aspecification.

My present invention has reference to a snow removing and destroyinapparatus and has for its primary object t e provision of a machine forremoving snow and ice from streets and roads, in an expeditious andsatisfactory manner.

Another object ,is the provision of an improved means for scoop ng snowfrom a street or road, melting it and conducting the water eliminatedfrom the snow away from the machinery to deposit the same in thedgutterat either 'side of the street or roa Another object is the provision ofa motor propelled apparatus for removing and destroying snow in which anovel combined brush and combined cutting means is employed forgathering and directing snow from the street onto means that deliver thesaid snow to a triturating mechanism which also compresses the material,and in which means isemployed for reducin the trimrated mass into afluent body or delivery through either side of the apparatus.

Another object is the provision of a motor driven apparatus for thispurpose which carries at its forward end a vertically adjustable scoopof a novel construction, the said scoop being rovided with snow andicecutting teeth an having arranged forward of said teeth combined brushingand cutting means for delivering the snow intothe scoop, the said scoopbeing further provided with revoluble means for directing the snow to atriturating mechanism of a novel construction, and wherein the massedand pow-' dered snow is melted by heat delivered thereagainst, and thewater eliminated from the snow is delivered from either side of themachine in accordance with the will of the operator.

Another object is the provision 'of'a snow removing and destroyingapparatus-in which the mechanism constituting the same s arranged on amotor propelled wheeled body, of a novel construction, and in which asecond motor is employed for operating said ers whose flames melt-thecollected snow that the water eliminated therefrom may be deliveredthrough either side of the machine and in which simple means is employedfor swinging the manifold pipes of the burners to arrange the same 1nhorizontal position sothat the flames therefrom' will not be directedagainst the triturating device associated with the destroying mechanismand whereby the extinguishing of the burners will not be necessitatedwhen no snow is received in the apparatus, or when the device islpropelledfrom place to place.

A still-furt device of this character, 0 a combined snow gathering brushand cutter disposed forward of rotary brushes which deliver-the snowinto a destroying mechanism, and in which the gathering brush is causedto turn at a slower rate of eed than the directing brushes, the latterbelng also rotated at different speeds.

A still further object is the provision in a snow removing anddestroying apparatus of fluid burners for directing the flame againstgathered and triturated snow in which an air pump is actuated by thetravel of the device forsu plyin airto the oil tank and reservoir, anmay be directed toward or away from the gathered snow in an easy andexpeditious manner.

Another object is the provision of a novel er object is the rovision, ina I in w 'ich the burner nozzles construction of outletpipes for watereliminated from the snow gathered in the machine and in which and ipesmay be arranged at any desired ang c with res the .sides of the machine,and furt er in which the delivery to either of said pipes is controlledby a simple valve mechamsnr readily actuated b the operator.

A still further 0 ject is the provision of a snow removing'anddestroying a paratus that is mounted on a motor ro ed body and in whichall of the m constitto' .- tutii g the apparatus is controlled from the(ab f the body, and also wherein the propelling mechanism of the saidbody is llkewise controlled from the cab.

For a full and comprehensive understanding of the invention, referenceis to be had to the accompanying drawin s in WhlCh there is illustrateda simple and satisfactory embodiment of the improvement reduced topractice.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a substantially central verticallongitudinal sectional view through the improvement.

- Figure 2 is a section on line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional. view on the line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a sectional view on, the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a plan view of one of the cutters associated with thegathering brush.

Figure 8 is an edge view thereof.

Figure 9 is a side elevation of one of the brush sections.

Figure 10 is a substantially central sectional View therethrough.

Figure 11 is a detail sectional view approximately on the line 1111 ofFigure 1.

Figure 12 is a sectional view on the line 12-12 of Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a rear elevation of the device, illustrating a slightmodification.

Figure 14 is a top plan view of the construction illustrated in Figure13, parts being broken away and parts being in section.

As disclosed by the drawings, I make use of a motor-propelled vehicle,preferably in the nature of a truck 1. The body of the vehicle may becovered, but the front thereof is PI'OVldGd with a cab 2. In this cabthere is a drivers seat and the control for the steering and propellingmechanism of the truck. The. truck has its forward end mounted on guidewheels 3, but its rear or propeller wheels are in the nature of endlessmembe'rs or caterpillars. The caterpillar belt is provided with theusual cogs, and the said belt travels around two spaced wheels, one ofwhich having its axle directly connected to the drive shaft from themotor 4. The caterpillar traction members are indicated by the numerals5, and the lower lead of the endless belt therefor is held inground-contacting engagement by means 6. This means consists of spacedrollers mounted on a vertically adjustable shaft or standard. I

On the to of the vehicle or truck there is an oil tan 7 which, at itsforward end, is divided by a partition into a gasoline tank S. Thegasoline is, of course, fed to the motor 4 in the usual manner, and isalso fed to a second motor which will hereinafter be described.

On the to of the oil tank 7 there is a gauge 9, am the outlet pipe 10for the oil tank have their passages controlled by valves arranged insuitable casings 11. The stems 12 for the valves project throughsuitable openings in the top of the oil tank 7 and are eccentrically orotherwise connected with operating rods 13. There rods lead to the cab2, and each of the said rods is provided with an operating or controlhandle 14. Of course both the oil and the gasoline tanks are providedwith suitable inlets which are normally closed.

Swivelly connected with each of the oil outlet pipes 10 is a pipe 15.Each of the pipes 15 is mounted for turning in suitable bearings 16. Thepipes 15 are longitudinally arranged, but the end pipes are disposedbelow the central pipe. All of these pipes have ends which lead into thecab 2, the said ends, of course, being closed. On

each of the closed ends there is an actuating swung to bring one oftheir edges into engagement with one of the contacts 21 on each of thesegments 20 to arranged the burners or nozzles 22 in a downward andangular direction with respect to the bottom of the truck. By simplyswinging the levers so that the same will engage with the oppositecontacts on the segments 20 the burners 21 will be sustainedsubstantially horizontally. This is an important feature of theinvention which will presently be manifest. Below the burners 22 thetruck or vehicle 1 is provided with a longitudinally extending trough23, the bottom of which being reticulated or provided with spacedopenings 24 and the rear thereof being closed. J ournaled in a suitablebearing opening in the closed end 25 of the trough 23 and 111 a bearing26 at the forward open end of the trough there is a shaft 27. This shaftprovides the operating medium for the triturating mechanism of the.improvement. The triturating mechanism includes a grinding screw 28which is, of course, spirally wound around and secured to the shaft 27and spirally arranged mutilating blades 29 at the forward or receivingend of the screw. f

The trough 23' terminates in angle side portions 30 which are secureddirectly to the sides 31 of the vehicle '1. The sides 30 are rovidedwith inwardly arched flanges 32 isposed o posite the end burners 22, andthese arcged members are in the nature of uides for directing the .flameof the said 'urners away from the triturating .device when the manifoldpipes15 are "swung tobring the burners to horizontal .valve 36. Theshaft 35, when turne position, as when no snow has been deliv: ered'into the triturating device or apparatus and when 'the vehicle is to bepropelled without directing the flame against said "apparatus.

.. mu'nicating with the spout 33, there is a ate to bring'the valve 36 ainst either of'the side walls provided by t e passage between the shaft35. On this shaft there is a spout and duct, will direct melted snow toeither side of the vehicle. Thisis ecial- 1y desirable, inasmuch .asthe-vehic e will travel adjacent to the curbs of a street or the,gutters of a road so that the water eliminated from the'snow will bedirected nearest the .curb or gutter of a street or road. 1

In an instance where'the vehicle is ar-,

ranged a considerable distance" from the gutter of a road or street, andas illustrated in Figures 13 and 14 of the drawings, there is connectedto the ends of the duct 34 outlet pipes 37. Each of the pipes 37 has itsinner end pivotally connected to a beam 38 which is revolubly supportedon the sides of the vehicle 1. The beam 38 has an out-v standing arm 39,braced to the said beams by means 40. The pipe members 37 have securedthereon collars or the like to which are connected flexible elements 41trained through an eye member42-on the arm 39.

Each beam 38 has secured thereon an angle arm 43, and to each of thesearms 43 there is secured a rod 44. Each rod'44 is pivotallv connected'tothe angle end of alever 45. Each lever is pivoted to a segmental rack46. Each .lever carries a hand-actuated spring-influenced pawl to engagewith the teeth of the rack 46. By this arrangement it. will be notedthat the pipe members or spouts 37 ma}; be arranged against the sides ofthe vehicle or disposed at any desired outward angle with respectthereto.

Hingedly secured, as at 47 to the bottom of the'trough 23 there-is ascoop 48. The scoop has its inner end of a. substantially rectangularformation, 'and' is from thence gradually widened to its outer end.';-The' scoop has flanged sides and a top. 7 The scoop, at the widenedmouth thereof,-has its lowerv walk-provided with cutting elements in thenature 'of saw teeth 50. The side members 51 of the vehicle frame rojecta suitable distance beyond the ca 2 {and are each provided at its outerend with an upstanding portion or standard 53.-

These standards are ;preferably connected at their upper ends. hestandards 53 rovide bearings for a shaft 54. On the sldes of the scoo)48 there are secured, preferably by lin s '55, flexible elements such aschains 56. Each of these chains is secured 1 around the shaft 54. Theshaft 54 has keyed thereto a toothed wheel 57. This end ground-engagingrollers 62.

The sides of the scoop have brackets pro-' jecting from the forward ormouth end thereof, and these brackets provide bearings for the roundedend of the cross-sectionally squared shaft 63. On the squared portionlot the shaft there is removably secured the ground-engaging streetcontacting rotary brush of'the improvement. The brush is made up ofbroom'sections 64 that have arranged therebetween cuttin sections 65.The cutter sections or members are in the nature of metal spiders eachhaving arms 66 radiating from the center thereof and.

terminating in sharpenedcutting edges 67.

The hubs of the broom or brush sections and those of the metal cuttingsections have squared bores so that the same may be easily arranged onor removed from the squared portion of the shaft 63. Thisground-contacting rotary sweep, in connection with the cutting tooth 50of the scoop 48 are important features of the invention.

Journaled in suitable bearing openings between the sides, and adjacentto the mouth of the scoop 48, there is a shaft 66, and fixed on thisshaft there is a rotary brush 67.' At the straight inner end of thescoop 48 there is also journaled between the sides thereof a shaft 68which carries a brush 69.

The" numeral 70 designates a motor of the internal combustion type, suchas is true with respect to the motor 4. The drive wheeldisposed oppositea similar sprocket wheel which is secured on the shaft 27 of thetriturating device. Around these sprocket wheels there is trained asprocket c ain 72. Thus the drive shaft 71 of the motor 7 0 impartsmotion to the triturating mechanism.

On the shaft 71 there is a gear 73, in mesh with a small gear 74 whoseshaft is journaled in a suit-ablebearing on one of the side members ofthe frame of the vehicle. The shaft for the gear 74 has secured thereona sprocket wheel disposed opposite a larger sprocket wheel on a shaft 75which is journaled in suitable bearings 76 on the.

' and secured on the shaft 66 there is a larger sprocket wheel. Aroundthese wheels there is trained an endless sprocket chain 79. On the outerend of the shaft 66 there is secured a comparatively small sprocketwheel, and on the end of shaft 63 there is secured a larger sprocketwheel. Around these sprocket wheels there is trained an endless chain80. By this arrangement it will be noted that to the sweeping brush 64is imparted a comparatively slow rotary movement, the

brush 67 a faster movement, and the brush 68 a still faster movement. Inthis manner the brush 64 will have ample time to sweep into the chuteall of the snow gathered thereby and cut by the teeth 50, the brush 67delivering the said sweepings upwardly in the chute toward and incontact with the brush 69, and the said brush 69 rapidly delivering thesnow and sweep-' ings to the snow destroying apparatus previouslydescribed.

As the gas control and the wiring for the motors 4 and 70 are of thewell known type and are controlled by mechanism forward of the driversseat in the cab, a detailed description thereof will not be at tempted.

The shaft 71 for the motor 70 operates an air pump 81, the said pumphaving a pipe connection 82 with the oil tank 7 and whereby the airacting on the oil in the said tank 7 serves as a forced feed for theburners 22 in the manifolds 16. The air .conducting pipe 82 ispreferably valve-con- The simplicity of my construction and theoperation thereof, will, it is thought, be perfectly apparent to thoseskilled in the art to which the invention relates. The snow swept by theground brush which has the metal spiders associated therewith, will, aspreviously inferred, be effectively broken and delivered into the chuteand from thence the said snow will be delivered by the brushes 67 and 69into the triturating mechanism. The'fiame from the burners reduces thetriturated material into a liquid mass and this liquid is delivered toeither side of 'the machine as desired. The lighted burners at all timesheat the device sutficiently to prevent freezing or clogging of thematerial therein, and the improvement may be mounted upon any ordinarytruck construction.

The invention is, of course, not to be restricted to the precisedetailed features of construction herein set forth as such changestherefrom as fall within the scope of my claims may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantagesof the invention.

Having described the invention, I claim 1. A snow removing anddestroying apparatus comprising a vehicle, triturating mechanismtherein, including a grinding screw having a mutilating paddle at'thereceiving end thereof, an apertured trough in which the same isjournaled, a gutter below the trough having lateral outlets, a valvecontrolling the passage from the gutter to either of said outlets andmeans for revolving the triturating device.

2. A snow removing and destroying apparatus comprising a vehicle,triturating mechanism therein, including a grinding screw having amutilating paddle at the receiving end thereof, .an apertured trough inwhich the same is journaled, a gutter below the trough having lateraloutlets, a valve controlling the passage from the gutter to either ofsaid out-lets, a pipe in the sides of the machine flexibly connectedwith each of the outlets and means for sustaining the pipes against thesides or at outward angles with respect to the vehicle.

3. A snow removing and destroying apparatus, comprising a vehicle, snowtriturating mechanism therein, revoluble means for gathering snow from astreet and directing the same onto the triturating means, an oil tank inthe vehicle, horizontally arranged revoluble pipes associated with saidtank and providing manifolds for burners, means for turning the saidmanifolds to direct the flame from the burners onto the triturated snowto melt the same, means for directing the water eliminated from the snowthrough one of either side of the vehicle, means for simultaneouslyactuating the triturating device and the snow delivery means therefor,and an air pump operated by said actuating means and having a pipeconnec tion with the oil tank and independent means for operating thevehicle.

- 4. A snow removing and destroying apparatus, comprising a vehicle, atriturating device therein, means for delivering snow from the street tothe triturating device, a fuel tank above the triturating device, pipescommunicating therewith and extending longitudinally over thetriturating device, burners on said pipes designed to direct flamestherefrom onto the triturated snow, means for automatically holding theburners in such position, means for swinging the pipes to bring theburners away from the trituratin'g device, and a laterally extendingvalve controlled outlet for the water eliminated from the snow.

5. A snow removing and destroying apparatus, including a trituratingmechanism, means for delivering snow thereonto, means for actuating saidmechanism, an oil tank above said mechanism, manifold pipes providedwith burners leading therefrom, a valve controllin the passage of oilfrom the tank to the pipes, means for revolving said burners forautomatically holding the same to direct the flames onto the trituratedmaterial or to direct the flames away therefrom, and a laterallextending valve con trolled duct for con noting the water eliminatedfrom the snow to either side of the vehicle.

6. In a snow removing and destroying apparatus, comprising a vehiclehaving a central trough at the bottom thereof, said trough being roundin cross section and having inclined sides connected to the sides of thevehicle, the center of the trough being apertured, a spout disposedlongitudinally below the trough, secured thereto and having its bottominclined from its ends to its center, a transversely arranged ductcommunicating with the said center of the spout, a valve'controlling thepassage from the spout to either sides of the duct, a screw conveyordisposed longitudinally in the trough, mutilating blades at the forwardend of the conveyor, means for delivering snowinto the trough, spacedburner manifolds arranged longitudinally above, the trough andcommunicating with a common fuel supply, valve controlled means forregulating the supply of fuel to the manifolds, means for independentlyturning any one of the manifolds to bring the burners thereoftoward oraway from the trough and means actuated by the movement of the vehiclefor revolving the screw and the mutilatmg blades thereon.

In testimony whereof I afiix mysigma ture.

ROBERT H. .SGROGGIN'S.

